Top 5 ONE Athletes Showing The Power Of Chinese Martial Arts

As one of the world’s historic powerhouses of martial arts, China seems destined to produce scores of ONE World Champions in the coming years.

The tide has already started to rise as the nation begins to produce more and more mixed martial artists, and as ONE Super Series continues to grow, its ranks are starting to swell with kickboxing, Muay Thai, and sanda specialists from the country.

A torrent of new heroes are set to make their way to The Home Of Martial Arts in the near future, but there already are dozens of talented Chinese competitors making waves on the global stage.

Ahead of the organization’s return to Shanghai for ONE: LEGENDARY QUEST, check out the five Chinese athletes who have made the biggest impact in ONE so far.

#1 Xiong Jing Nan

The first Chinese World Champion in mixed martial history exploded onto the global stage in late 2017 and has gone from strength to strength ever since.

“The Panda” Xiong Jing Nan scored a stunning knockout in her first ONE Championship match, and then overwhelmed three opponents in a row to win, and then twice defend the ONE Women’s Strawweight World Title. No opponent was a match for the former boxer’s powerful striking.

However, her greatest accomplishment did not come through another display of dominance. When ONE Women’s Atomweight World Champion “Unstoppable” Angela Lee stepped up to challenge for a second belt, she almost claimed it when she came within inches of pulling off a fourth-round armbar.

Somehow, “The Panda” showed tremendous resilience to survive, and then displayed all her intelligence and strength to pick her challenger apart and knock her out.

Xiong leads the wave of Chinese talent in The Home Of Martial Arts, and her nation could not ask for a better role model.

#2 Kai Ting Chuang

The only other Chinese athlete to claim gold on the global stage is ONE Super Series star “Killer Bee” Kai Ting Chuang.

The inaugural ONE Atomweight Kickboxing World Champion’s stunning striking, speed, and aggression helped her to make history last year, and set the benchmark for women’s martial artists around the world.

Still only 24, “Killer Bee” is just getting started with her career as a professional athlete, and fans can expect her to return with the same energy that took her to glory very soon.

#3 Han Zi Hao

Even though he now lives and trains in Bangkok, Han Zi Hao’s heart still belongs to China, and though he is a Top King Muay Thai World Champion, he is desperate to bring glory to his nation in ONE.

The 23-year-old has already had a brush with greatness, but though he gave Nong-O Gaiyanghadao his toughest match in the Circle, he could not beat him to the inaugural ONE Bantamweight Muay Thai World Title.

However, the man with the most active ONE Super Series schedule so far has his eye on a rematch down the road, and his path back to the belt begins with a match against Andrew “Maddog Fairtex” Miller at ONE: LEGENDARY QUEST.

If Han can bring the same firepower that he showed off in his trio of wins so far on the global stage – including two knockouts – he could be well on his way back to the top.

#4 Miao Li Tao

This strawweight mixed martial arts knockout artist has all the potential to be his sport’s next superstar.

Miao Li Tao’s debut in the world’s martial arts organization was an impressive first-round KO, but fans could be forgiven for forgetting about him after he spent the next 18 months on the sidelines.

When he returned last month, he made sure everyone would remember his name. In a performance that saw him outclass former ONE Strawweight World Champion Dejdamrong Sor Amnuaysirichoke like no one else in mixed martial arts, the 26-year-old from Beijing hit one of the finishes of the year to knock the Muay Thai legend out cold.

That victory should be Miao’s ticket to even bigger opportunities, and with rare power for an athlete of such small stature, it would take a brave man to bet against him taking those all the way to the top.

#5 Zhang Chenglong

“Muay Thai Boy” Zhang Chenglong was a Muay Thai World Champion aged 20 before he arrived in ONE this year.

Now he has turned 21, he has two ONE Super Series bantamweight wins to his name and he is pushing hard toward building a case for a World Title opportunity.

His latest victory against Panicos Yusuf last month showed the world that “Muay Thai Boy” has the heart, skill, and power to defeat top-class opposition, and now he needs to show he can make a habit of it.

Another win against Tyler Hardcastle in Shanghai, China at ONE: LEGENDARY QUEST next Saturday, 15 June would be a great start.